“I think we should each take one of those.” He handed a shining silver gun the size of a cigarette box to her. “It looks pitiful, but if it can take down a level one Warped it’s still better than any of our own Earth weapons.” He handed another one to Nori and Nathan.

Nori accepted the Zapper with a nod and put it in her pocket.

Nathan stared wide-eyed at the weapon and shook his head resolutely.

“Suit yourself, kid.” Bulco shrugged and tucked the weapon into his own pocket. He took out eight more Zappers from the crate. “I’ll take the Hummer and bring these to my men. I’ll be back soon. What are you kids going to do in the meantime?”

Lana took out the small translucent disc from her pocket. “Alzigo told me this data module would fit any Tec-based technology. I thought of using the ship’s computer on the bridge to learn what I can from it.”

“Glad you took over that one, girl. I was done with school twenty years ago. Good luck with that.”

Lana smiled. “Thanks.”

“I’ll take the rest of the Zappers to the Old Stadium shelter. Hopefully, Martin has already brought a few folks to level one so they can use them,” Nori said. “Lana and Nathan can stay on the freighter—it’s safe enough in here.”

“Looks like we’re all set.” Bulco nodded. He opened the shuttle door and scrunched his nose in disgust. A moment later everyone gagged as a wave of foul, acrid odor hit their nostrils.

“It’s the …” Lana gagged and held her nose. “... the alien’s corpse.”

“Dear god, it smells like someone mixed sewage and acid together,” Bulco said, blinking rapidly as his eyes started to tear. “I’ll drag it outside the ship.”

He left the shuttle, and Nathan closed the door behind him. He turned back to Nori and smiled at her apologetically.

Lana chuckled. “He thinks we should wait inside until it's safe to go out.”

Nori looked queasy. “The shuttle may be able to hold its atmosphere in space, but somehow, I think I can still smell the stink from outside.”

They waited for several minutes, then Nathan opened the door and he and Lana stepped outside.

“I won’t be long,” Nori said, already starting the launch sequence. “Keep the ship locked tight and you will be safe until I return.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.” Lana saluted sloppily. “While you're out there, can you see if you can get us some water?”

“Will do.”

The shuttle started to hum back to life and as soon as the two ex-students cleared the outer chamber, Nori took off to the sky.

As she flew above the deserted street, one of the monitors flickered to life. Nori saw the black Hummer driving down a road, plowing through the heaps of debris. She increased her speed, leaving the vehicle far behind her.